world travel tips for minimalists

Some Packing Tips for Cold and Wet Places

A tourist destination doesn’t have to be constantly warm and sunny to be attractive, does it? Some of the most exciting places on the planet can get very cold and wet and times. So how will you pack in order to enjoy your time in one of them? The following are a few tips to help you make the most of your luggage space.

Consider Buying When You Are There

It sometimes makes sense to buy warm clothes when you are at your destination. After all, if the weather is often bad there then there is probably quite a lot of heavy, waterproof clothing on sale there for you to choose from. Buying anything at all on your travels can be quite exciting, so why not take the chance to check out the winter clothing you could use? You might find that wandering around a local supermarket or clothing store turns out to be good fun as well as useful. Of course, you won’t want to buy too much of this stuff unless you feel that you are going to be able to give it some good use in the future as well as on this trip. The idea of buying when you arrive would also definitely apply to items such as umbrellas and water proof hats or ponchos. You might also find that locally produced hand knitted clothes are cheap and easily found there as well, as they are in many parts of the world where cold weather is common.

Check the Weather Forecast Before You Go

Just because somewhere has a reputation for bad weather doesn’t mean that it will be cold and miserable when you are there. No matter where you go in the world it is always better to check out the current weather conditions rather than assume what it is going to be like. By checking what it is like right now in your destination you will have a better idea of what you need to pack. Who knows; the place might enjoy much better temperatures than its reputation would have you believe. An online weather forecast isn’t going to give you a guaranteed 100% level of accuracy but it will give you a good feel for what the current weather is like and how you should prepare for it, which is a great start.

Choose Layers

The best way to stay warm when it gets really cold is to wear a number of warm layers rather than one big piece of clothing. This makes it sound as though you need to pack a lot more individual garments than you might have expected but it doesn’t have to be so bad. For example, you could choose to wear the same warm layers a number of different days and maybe combine them in a few different ways. This approach can also be a big help if the temperature improves while you are there, as all you need to do is wear one or two layers less than you had been doing.